Reciprocating-saw machine



De. 3i, 1946'.

R. G. BRWN 2,413,485

REGIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE 7 Sheefss-Sheet 1 VJ m.

`/ Attorneys Dec. 31, 1946. R, G. BROWN RECIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE Filed oct. 11, 1944 7 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor #may M510;

1946. R. ca.v BROWN RECIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE F'lled Ooi 1l 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet '3 w mw a .teys

Dc. 3E, 1946. R, G, BROWN 2,413,485

RECIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE Filed OCT.. 11, 1944 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor 7 Sheets--Sheevfl 5 Dec. 3l, 1946. R. G. BROWN l ECIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE Filed oct. i1; 1944 nd/ I @ro n//f B3' m0 lfm@ Dec. 31, 1946. R, G, BRQWN 2,413,485

. RECIPROCATING-SAW MACHINE i Filed oct. v11, 1944 7 sheets-sheet 6 'lf/*B1 Qa @uM/345,

Dec. 3l, 1946. R. G. BROWN l 2,413,485

RECIPROCATING-SAW MACILIINE'- v Filed Oct. l1, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 i y Inventor Za QA/anw ana/Wawy Attorneys iatented Dec. 3l, 1946 2,413,485 REcrPRooA'TlNG-SAW MACHINEr Rush G. Brown, Riverton, Wyo.

Application October 11, 1944, Serial No. 558,177

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in reciprocating-saw machines, and an object of the invention is to provide a portable machine of this kind which is especially suitable for use in felling trees and cutting the felled trees into logs of suitable length.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an efficient sawing mechanism including a reciprocating saw and adapted to be installed upon the front end of an agricultural tractor and to be driven from the power take-off shaft of said tractor.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a sawing mechanism of the above kind having improved driving and supporting means for the saw which eliminates the necessity of providing a crosshead and guide rods for the saw and imparts a longitudinal rocking motion to the saw while reciprocating the latter so as to attain a more eiiicient sawing action.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide improved means for mounting the sawing mechanism upon the tractor whereby the saw may be readily raised or lowered to position the same at the desired distance from the ground, and whereby the saw may be readily turned about a horizontal axis to position it for vertical, horizontal or angular cutting.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a driving means for the saw-operating mechanism including an automatic safety release clutch for disconnecting said mechanism from the source of power when reciprocation of the saw is unduly resisted', thereby avoiding damage to the saw or its operating mechanism.

More specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference charv acters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly broken away, of a tractor equipped with a sawing mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention, the rear portion of the tractor being omitted. Y

Figure l-a is a plan View of the rear portion of the tractor shown in Figure 1; this view, together with Figure 1, shows substantially the complete machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the saw and its operating mechanism, as seen lookingin a downward direction with respect to Figure 1. i

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the construction shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan View of the saw propeller frame.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the plane of line 6--6 of Figure 1 and showing details of construction of the combined driving pulley and safety release clutch.

Figure 'I is a section taken on line 'II-'I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view, partly broken away and in section, of the driving spider forming part of the pulley and clutch of Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially upon line 9 9 of Figure 2.

Figure 10 is an enlarged section taken on line III- I0 of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line II-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line I2-I2 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the brake shoe actuating lever and wedge fo-rming part of the device shown in Figure 10.

Figure 14 is a side elevation looking to the right of Figures 1 and la.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates a conventional agricultural tractor having a laterally projecting power take-off shaft 6 at one side thereof on which is secured a driving pulley 1. Rigidly secured to and projecting forwardly from the tractor 5 at the forward end of the latter are mounting bars or brackets 8 carrying a .transverse horizontal shaft 9 at their forward ends. The shaft 9 projects at the side at which the power take-01T shaft B is located, and journaled on this projecting end of shaft 9 isa double pulley I0, one portion of which accommodates an endless driving belt Il that also passes around the pulley 'I of the shaft 5. Pivoted at its rear end upon the shaft 9 is a frame I2 in the forward end of which is journaled a transverse horizontal'shaft I3 constituting the drive shaft of the sawing mechanism to be later described and which is supported by the frame I2. Journaled on one end of shaft I3 and retained on the latter by a nut I4 is a pulley I5. A second endless driving belt I6 passes around the other or remaining portion of double pulley I0 and also about the pulley I5 for driving the latter. As shown more clearly in Figures 6 and 7, the pulley I5 is hollow and forms the drum of a safety release clutch.L This clutch includes a disc I1 arranged within pulley I5 and journaled on shaft I3. Arranged at the inner side of disc I1 adjacent the periphery of the latter and in position to engage the inner surface of the annular wall of pulley I5 are brake shoes I 8. The brake shoes I8 are connected at corresponding ends to the disc I1 by links I9. Splined on shaft I3 at the inner side of disc I'I is the hub 20 of a driving 3 spider or cross bar 2| whose turning movement in one direction relative to disc I1 is limited by stop pins 22 fixed to and projecting laterally from said disc I1. Fixed to disc I1 respectively above and below opposite ends of spider or bar 2| are angle brackets 23, and passing through the brackets 23 and the opposite ends of spider or bar 2| are bolts 2d on which are disposed helical cornpression springs 25 that are interposed between the respective brackets 23 and the corresponding ends of spider or bar 2l. IThe springs 25 thus yieldingly resist turning movement of spider or bar 2l in the direction wherein the ends of said spider or bar 2| move away from stop pins 22. 'Stated differently, the springs 25 provide a yielding driving connection between spider 2| and disc I1 and are retained in place by the bolts 2li. Slidable on the hub 25 of spider 2| is an actuating cone V2e for pivoted brake shoev operating levers 21 whose outer shorter arms are pivoted at 28 to the remaining or free ends of brake shoes I5. The longer arms of levers 21 carryl at their inner ends rollers 2Q that bear upon opposite sides of cone 25 and are guided in brackets 35. The pivots 3l ofl levers 21 are carried by disc I1 and are adjustable in elongated slots 32 of said disc I1 to provide for adjustment of the brake shoes, which adjustment is effected by means ,of screws 33 hinged on the pivots 3| and movable through ears 35 rigid with and projecting laterally from disc l1, locking and adjusting Vnuts 35 being threaded on screws 33 `at opposite sides of ears 35. Helical tension springs Y35 connect the inner longer arms of levers 21 with the respective brake shoes I8 and act to normally yieldingly release said brake shoes. On the rother hand, movement of cone V26 toward disc I1 causes actuation of levers 21 in a direction to apply the brake shoes vE8 or to cause the latter to move into engagement with the annular wall of pulley I5. As shown in Figure '1, the cone 26 is slotted t0 Straddle the intermediate portion of spider 2|, and xed to opposite sides of cone 25 are pins 31 (Fig. 6) that are slide-ble through the spider 2| f and have beveled inner ends 38 (Figure 7). Fixed to disc I1 are cam plates 33 in the path of which `the .pins 31 are disposed. Thus, should rotation of shaft I3 be resisted to an extent suflicient to cause compression of springs 25, disc I1 will be caused to turn with pulley I5 by the previously applied brake shoes IB and cam plates 3S will ride under pins 31 so as to cause movement of cone 25 away from disc I1. This shifts the tapered part of cone 25 toward the plane of rollers 25, thereby permitting swinging of levers 21 by springs 36 in a direction to release the brake shoes and permit free turning vof pulley I5 relative to shaft I5. Thus, a simple and efficient safety release clutch is provided between the pulley I5 and shaft I3. Yln order that the driving connection between pulley I5 and shaft I3 may be manually released, the cone' 26 has a shifting fork lll operatively connected at 42 with an operating lever 53 that is pivoted upon a torque tube 44 through which shaft I3 extends (see Fig. 1). Obviously, when cone 25 is moved toward the disc Vi1 to the position of Figure'', the levers 21 will be actuated to apply the brake shoes. The cone 25 is illustrated in Figure' as shifted to the position wherein release of the brake shoes is permitted under the influence of springs 35.

The torque tube ifi is jcurnaled in frame I2 and xed at one end to a gear casing 45 located at the side of frame I2 remote from pulley I5. Gear casing 45 Ais relatively flat and of circular form,

and journaled centrally in and extending through the casing 55 is a, shaft 56 on which is secured a bevel gear i1 that meshes with a pinion 48 secured onthe adjacent end of shaft I3 (see Fig. 2). Secured on a projecting end of shaft 46 is a saw-driving disc 135 (Fig. 3) which is provided in its outer side with a marginal recess 55 that makes the disc lighter at this point and gives said disc a counterbalancing action. Within recess 55, disc is formed with a pivot bearing and reinforcing ribs 5i radiating from said bearing. Fitted in this bearing is one end of a wrist pin 52 on which are pivoted corresponding ends of a pair of connecting rods 53 and 53a. One end of a crank ari-n 53 is secured on the other end of wrist pin 52. A saw propeller frame `54| is disposed on a pla-ne between the connecting rods 53 and 53a, and this frame includes a rod 55 formed at one end with an open quadrant 55 that includes a radius bar 51 disposed to be substantially contacted at its outer side by the portion of wrist pin 52 exposed -between the connecting rods 53 and 53a. At its other end, rod 55 is provided with a crosshead 53 to which is adapted to be bolted the inner end of an ordinary reciprocating saw 59. The head 58 is made relatively long and provided with a number of apertures 53 so that the positionfof the saw may be adjusted transversely of rod 55. At the point where the bar 55 joins with the quadrant 55, the -frarne 55 is formed with a bearing `3l that receives a pivot pin 62 for the other or remaining ends of connecting rods 53 and 53a. The quadrant is provided at one side, and beyond one end of the radius bar 51, with an arm 53V that extends in a direction opposite the bar 55 vand to the rfree end of which is pivoted a link 55, The other end of link B is pivoted at 55 to the inner end of crank arm 53', and the pivotal connection between link 64 and arm S3 isindicated at 55. It will be noted that the crank arm 53 `is shorter than the distance between crank pin 52 and shaft 45. Also, the pivot 55 is offsetfslightly to'one side of the shaft 45, as indicated in Figure 3. Thus, as the disc 49 revolves, link '-55 is forced upward, as

. 'viewed in Figure 3, and stays up until the saw reaches the end of its outward stroke. The link 6d is then vmoved downward of the return stroke of the saw, and in this way the saw is given a slightlongitudinal rocking motion while it is reciprocated sogas to give a more eiicient sawing action.v When this motion and reciprocation of lthe saw takes place, the link VGil simply swings back and forth about the pivot B5.

Hinged on centerl bearings of gear casing 5 at opposite sides of the latter are the corresponding ends of spaced members' 51 of an elongated strap metal frame that extends parallel with the bar 55 of the saw propeller frame rand toward the head 580i the latter. The outer end portion of Athis frame -is narrow and rotatably receives a pivctpin 53 from which Pdepends a guide 69 through which the Ibar 55 `of frame 54 slidably extends. Also pivoted on Ythe:center'bearings of .case 55 at opposite sides of the latter are the hubs 1i] of levers 1I land 1 I (see Figs. 2 and 9). These v center bearings of case l5 are provided with circumferential series of sockets 12 .adapted for selective reception of the spring-actuated locking bolts 13 ofA levers 1I and 1I. The bolts 13 have suitable actuatingmeans 15 for disengaging or withdrawing them from the sockets 12. Rigid with and projecting from opposite sides of the hubs 1B are arms 15 which carry stop members 15 "providedwith shock absorbing springs *11. The

lsprings k11 are positioned to engage the adjacent frame member B1 at opposite sides of the pivoto-f frame 61, and a helical tension spring v18 connects the inner end of frame '61 withvlever 1I. The arms 15 are disposed at an obtuse angle tc each other and one spring 11 is always spaced from the rframe 61. Thus, limited swinging movement 'of frame @Tis permitted relative to levers 1I and 1I to permit feeding movement of the saw through the work but to limit such feeding movement as determined by the adjustments of levers 1I and 1I' relative to the case 45. If the lever 1I is inadvertently released when the saw completes a cut through a log, the lever 1I will prevent the saw from falling to the ground. The downward limit of movement and upward limit of movement of the saw under such conditions may be varied by simply disengaging the bolts 13 from sockets 12 and then rocking the levers 1I and 1I about the center bearings of the case 45, It will thus be seen that the saw and its propeller frame are eifectively hung and guided Without the use of a -crosshead and guide rods. Also, the saw is permitted limited movement for feeding through the Work and will have the longitudinal rocking action previously described.

Means is provided to vertically swing theframe I2 and to Secure the latter in any desired Vertically adjusted position so as to support the saw at the required elevation. For this purpose, frame I2 is provided at one side and forwardly of its pivot vshaft 9 with an upright 88 (Fig. 14) that is braced in a position substantially at right angles to the associated side member of frame I2 by means of a brace 8| extending from the forward portion of this side fra-me member rearwardly and upwardly to the upper end portion of upright 89. A strong helical tension spring 82 connects the upper end of upright 89 with the adjacent supporting bar 8 rearwardly of shaft 9 to counterbalance the frame I2 and parts carried thereby so that little eiort will be required to raise and lower frame I2 to vertically adjust the same. Connected to the upper portion of upright 88, at its forward end, is a rod or operating bar 83 which extends rearwardly along the adjacent side of the tractor and is connected at its rear end with a hand `lever 84 having conventional latching mechanism oooperating with a rack segment, as shown generally at 85 in Figures l-a and 14. Lever 84 is thus located beside the drivers seat of the tractor, not

shown,fin position for convenient actuation. By pulling rearwardly on lever 84, frame I2 is caused to swing upwardly, and by moving lever 84 forwardly, frame I2 is caused to lower. By engaging the latch of lever 84 with segment 85, the frame I2 may b-e retained in any of its vertically i adjusted positions, as will be apparent.

Securely riveted or bolted to the side member of frame I2, adjacent the gear casing 45, is a brake drum 88 (Fig. 1), and tted on the torque tube 45 within drum 85, as shown in Figure 10,

is a spider 81 carrying a pair of brake shoes 88 adapted and arranged to be expanded into engagement with the annular peripheral wall of drum 85. The intermediate portion of spider 81 is slotted at 89 and bolts 90 are provided to draw the slotted portion of the spider 81 into tight engagement with torque tube 44 for rotation therewith. Set screws 9I may also be provided to additionally securely fasten the spider 81 on torque l tube 44 for turning with the latter. At one side of brake drum 86, the brake shoes 88 have inturned ends 92 (Fig. 11), and passing between and extending transversely of these ends 92 is a bolt 93 having a wedge 94 thereon. Bolt 93 also extends through spider 81 and projects beyond the side of the latter remote from the brake shoes where it has a nut 95 threaded thereon. Obvious- 1y, by tightening nut 95, the wedge 94 may be drawn between the ends 92 of the brake shoes so as to adjust the latter in proper relation to the brake drum from time to time as found necessary- At the opposite side of brake drum 85, brake shoes 88 also have inturned ends 98 (Fig. 12) and pivoted between these inturned ends 96 is one end of a lever 91 (Fig. 13) having a lateral arm 98 at its inner end formed with a Wedge member 99. The free end of arm 98 carries a cross pin |90 that is loosely disposed in openings of the inturned ends 95 of the brake shoes, whereby lever 91 is effectively pivoted to the ends 96 while permitting relative movement of the latter toward or away from each other. The arm 98 of lever 91 is movable in a slot IOI of spider 81, and it will be apparent that when the lever 91 is swung to the position of Figures 1 and 10, parallel with shaft I3, the wedge 99 will be0 forced between the ends 96 of the brake shoes to expand the latter into engagement with the drum and thereby prevent rotation of torque tube 44. On the other hand, when lever 98 is swung in the opposite direction to a position substantially at right angles to torque tube 14, the wedge 99 will have been withdrawn from between the ends 96 of the brake shoes so as to permit release of the latter from the drum 88 and thereby permit turning of the torque tube 44. When the brake is thus released, the lever 91 may be utilized to turn tube 44 and casing 45 so as to position saw 59 fo-r vertical cutting, horizontal cutting or angular cutting, as desired. After the saw has been set in the desired position, it may be retained in the said position by swinging the lever 91 to the position of Figures 1 and 10 and thereby expanding brake shoes 88 into engagement with drum 88. The brake shoes 88 may be tensioned to contract when the wedge 99 is withdrawn from between the ends 95, or suitable springs may be utilized to contract and release the brake shoes as desired and as is conventional in the art of brakes.

In operation, the machine is driven to the desired point of operation, whereupon the saw 59 is vertically adjusted as required by operation of lever 84. The tube 44 and casing 45 are then `turned about the axis of tube 44 to position the -saw for the proper direction of cut. Levers 1I and 1I are then swung in a direction toward the saw after the latter has been initially engaged with the work. thereby placing spring 'I8 under tension and yieldingly swinging the frame yE51 and the saw toward the work. The clutch associated with pulley I 5 is then engaged so as to communicate motion to shaft I 3 from pulley 1 through the gearing described, which motion is in turn transmitted to the saw 59 for reciprocating the latter by means of the mechanism previously described and including the saw propeller frame 54. As the sawing operation continues, spring 18 causes the saw to feed through the work. new adjustments of levers 1I and 1 I being made from time to time if necessary and to keep the spring 18 under tension until the sawing operation is completed, In the case of vertical cutting, the saw is prevented from dropping to the ground by swinging of fra-me 81 into engagement with the stops 'I6 at the left side of Figure 1, sudden dropping of the saw upon completion o-f the cut being absorbed by the springs 11 carried by these stops.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages, of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes in details of construction illustrated and described are con-- templated, such as fall within the spirit and scope of the inventionas claimed.

What I claim is:

l. In a reciprocating-saw machine, a driven shaft, a supporting frame pivotally mounted for swinging movement about said shaft, a driving disc secured on one end o-f said shaft, an eccentric wrist pin carried by said driving disc, a saw propeller frame comprising a bar having an open quadrant at one end including a radius bar, a pivoted guide for said first-named bar carried by said supporting frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end on the wrist pin and at the other end to the inner end of said iirst-named bar, a crank arm carried by said wrist pin and extending to a point short of and to one side of said driven shaft, said quadrant having a rigid arm projecting toward said driven shaft, a link connecting said arm to the end of the crank arm nearest the driven shaft, said wrist pin being in guiding contact with the outer side of said radius bar, and means to secure a reciprocating saw to the outer end of said first-named bar.

2. In a reciprocating-saw machine, a driven shaft, a supporting frame pivotally mounted for swinging movement about said shaft, a driving disc secured on one end of said shaft, an eccentric Wrist pin carried by said driving disc, a saw propeller frame comprising a bar having an open quadrant at one end including a radius bar, a pivoted guide for said first-named bar carried by said supporting frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end on the wrist pin and at the other end to the inner end of said rst-named bar, a crank arm carried by said wrist pin and extending to a point short of and to one side of said driven shaft, said quadrant having a rigid arm projecting toward said driven shaft, a link connecting said arm to the end of the crank arm nearest the driven shaft, said wrist pin being in guiding contact with the outer side of said radius bar, and means to secure a reciprocating saw t'o the outer end of said first-named bar, supporting Vmeans for said driven shaft, a lever rotatably mounted Yon said supporting means concentric with the driven shaft, locking means for releasably securing the lever in different rotatably adjusted positions relative to said supporting means, stops carried by the lever and alternately engageable with the supporting frame at `opposite sides of the driven shaft for limiting swinging movement of the supporting frame, 'and a tension spring connecting the lever with the supporting frame to yieldingly swing the latter in a direction to feed the saw to the work.

3. In a reciprocating-saw machine, a driven shaft, a supporting frame pivotally moimted for swinging movement about said shaft, a driving disc secured on one end of said shaft, an eccentric wrist pin carried by saidv Idriving disc, a saw propeller frame ycomprising abar having an open quadrant at one end including a radius bar, a'pivoted guide for said `first-named bar-carried by said supporting frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end on the wrist 'pin and at 4the other vend to the inner end of said 'first-named bar, 'a crank arm vcarried by Said `wrist pin and extending to a point short of :and Tto one side 'of said 'driven shaft, said quadrant having La Irigid arm :projecting toward said driven yshaft,^ a.link -connecting 8 said arm to the end of the crank arm nearest the driven shaft, said wrist pin being in guiding contact with the outer side of said radius bar, and

vmeans to secure a reciprocating saw to the outer end of said first-named bar, supporting means for said driven shaft, a lever rotatably mounted on said supporting means concentric with the driven shaft, locking means for releasably securing the lever in different rotatably adjusted positions relative to said supporting means, stops carried by the lever and alternately engageable with the supporting frame at opposite sides of the driven shaft for limiting swinging movement of the supporting frame, and a tension spring connecting the lever with the supporting frame to yieldingly swing the latter in a direction to feed the saw to the work, a vertically adjustable frame, said supporting means for the driven shaft including a torque tube rotatably carried by the last-named frame whereby the saw may be turned for cutting vertically or horizontally or at an angle between the horizontal and vertical, and brake means associated with the vertically adjustable frame and the torque tube for releasably securing the latter in any desired rotatably adjusted position.

4. The construction defined in claim 3, wherein the supporting means for the driven shaft includes a gear casing fixed to one end of said torque tube, a driving shaft j ournaled in and extending through -said torque tube and operatively geared to the driven shaft within said gear casing, and power-operated driving means for the driving shaft including a driving pulley and safety release clutch means between said pulley and ksaid last-named shaft.

f5.. .In combination with a tractor vhaving a lateral power take-off shaft, supporting bars rigidly carried `by the forward end of and projecting forwardly from the tractor, a vertically swinging frame pivoted at its rear end upon the `forward ends of said supporting bars upon a transverse axis, a vdouble pulley journaled on said .,axis, belt gearing between one portion of said A'double pulley and said power take-off shaft, a

transverse shaft journaled in the forward end of said frame and carrying a further pulley, belt gearing between said further pulley and the remaining Aportion of said double pulley, a torque tube journaled insaid frame and having a projecting end at one side of the latter, a gear casing .carried by the projecting end of said torque tube, said ltransverse'shaft being journaled in `said Vtorque tube and projecting into the gear casing, "a transverse driven shaft carried by said gear casing, gearing in said 'gear casing operatively connecting the last-named -shaft with the first-named shaft, a reciprocating saw, and driving .rnechanismfor the saw operatively connected to the transverse .shaft of the .gear casing, and means to releasably lock the 'torque tube in said vertically swinging frame against rotation in Vany desired rotatably adjusted position of the latter for securing the fsaw in position to cut vertically 'crhorizontally 6. 'The :construction `defined in claim 5, wherein 'the vertically 'swinging :frame is yprovided with an Y.upright post, 'a tension spring 4connecting said upright post with .a supporting bar carried by the tractor for counterbalancing the Aswinging frame and parts carried thereby, a 4rod vpivoted to the upright and operable to vertically swing the frame, .and a lever for operating said rod carried by the rear portion of lvthe tractor.

.RUSH G. BROWN. 

